


Weathering the Storm

by ShamelessPeterPan (PiscesDragon)



Series: With Your Hand in Mine We Are Kings [5]
Category: Chinese Actor RPF, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV) RPF
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, Friendship/Love, Have I mentioned there's a lot of love here, Life is hard, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Mild Language, love and support
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:07:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23843500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PiscesDragon/pseuds/ShamelessPeterPan
Summary: When a scandal tips Xiao Zhan’s world upside down and threatens everything he’s worked for, he struggles with his emotions in the face of the unknown. For Yibo the worst part was being forced to witness all of it through the only accessible connection he had to his boyfriend at the moment — his phone screen during their daily video calls. Stuck over a thousand kilometers away for work, Yibo does the best he can to help him through the storm and show Xiao Zhan that he’s not alone.
Relationships: Wang Yi Bo/Xiao Zhan
Series: With Your Hand in Mine We Are Kings [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1664230
Comments: 22
Kudos: 316





	Weathering the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> I swear I really did have this fic completed and titled BEFORE Xiao Zhan's new song dropped :D It's a very happy coincidence for me that my story/head canon ties together extremely well with the gift we just received!
> 
> This fic takes place in very early March 2020.
> 
> All reference to China and/or the government is the speculation of a person who's never even been there, so treat it as the fiction it is.
> 
> Thanks to Liz for beta reading this for me!

“Maybe it’s time to cash it in and buy that bakery,” Xiao Zhan said as soon as Yibo answered the phone. His eyes and nose were both red-rimmed and puffy, a tell-tale sign he’d been crying at some point before he’d called.

Yibo’s heart broke for him, for what felt like the hundredth time in less than a week.

“Do you even know how to bake?” Yibo asked, tossing his hair to the side out of his eyes and attempting to keep the conversation as light as possible. The last thing the poor man needed was more focus on the problem at hand.

“Some,” Xiao Zhan answered sullenly. “My _nǎinai_ taught me.”

“I thought you didn’t like to eat sweets and things like that?” Yibo knew the truth before he asked but was determined to distract him.

“It’s not that I don’t like them. I like them _too_ much, and they don’t like me.” Xiao Zhan gazed into the screen with the saddest puppy eyes Yibo had ever seen, new tears making his eyes shine under the lights from his room. “I guess you won’t want me if I get fat again. Might as well lose everything at once.”

_For fuck’s sake,_ Yibo thought, unable to keep his eyes from rolling. _Stupid man._ He’d seen the pictures — Xiao Zhan hadn’t ever been fat. Before his jump into the entertainment industry, he’d been a normal person — and normal sized. With adorably rounded cheeks and not underweight, the way he always seemed to be now.

Yibo glared at him. “As if getting rid of me would be that easy.”

“Mn.” Xiao Zhan’s acknowledgment was far from an agreement, and Yibo tried not to take it personally. 

He’d seen his boyfriend hit lows over the last year and a half of their relationship and almost two years of friendship, but it had never been like this.

Over the last few days, Xiao Zhan had moved through a roller coaster ride of emotions. He’d gone from disappointment that his fans would do something so incredibly stupid to shock at how fast the news story snowballed. From there, he’d transitioned to downright pissed off that _he_ was being held somehow responsible for the actions of a few fans, as if he had some kind of magical control over other people, just because they liked him and followed him on social media. He’d stormed around, shouting and tossing things, venting his rage at the situation and his lack of control over it. The last two days, after his studio team released a statement of apology, they’d been fielding calls and putting out fires with his brand sponsorships. When Olay pulled the major promotion they were right in the middle of, Xiao Zhan’s mood had tumbled.

The worst part for Yibo was that he was forced to witness all of it through the only accessible connection he had to his boyfriend at the moment — his phone screen during their daily video calls. 

He’d left for Hengdian only days ago to be put into a temporary quarantine and then eventually finish up the filming of his newest show. It had sucked to leave Xiao Zhan, especially after having over a month together holed up at home under mandatory lockdown due to the virus that was ravaging half of China. The separation had been hard enough, but to have a bomb thrown into Xiao Zhan’s career the minute he left town made it even more difficult.

“ZhanZhan,” Yibo said gently, attempting to be soothing in the face of the man’s misery. “Zhan-ge. Look at me.”

His boyfriend’s eyes remained downcast, ignoring him.

“XIAO ZHAN.”

Dark eyes darted up to meet his own, obviously startled at Yibo’s harsh tone.

Yibo’s face was serious but still gentle as he tried to convey his affection through the phone screen and across thousands of miles. He curled his hands into fists. The fact that he wasn’t there — that he couldn’t touch him and give any physical reassurance — was killing him. He wasn’t good with words, but he had no other option now but to rely on them.

Slowly and calmly, he said, “It will be fine. It will blow over. Believe me. _I_ _know_ _.”_

And Yibo did know — he’d been through his own share of career-related nightmares. His band and _family_ being pulled apart, fan upsets, brands dropping him. It felt like the world was tipping over, but it always righted itself. You just had to weather the storm first.

“I know… I just… I don’t know what to do,” Xiao Zhan said. “I feel like there’s nothing I _can_ do.”

“That’s because there’s not,” Yibo said, his tone very matter of fact. 

“I hate that.”

Xiao Zhan had been through tough times as well in his short career, but nothing like this. Sadly, Yibo couldn’t help but wonder if he was paying the price for having too _much_ popularity. He was leaps and bounds above everyone else, including Yibo, on the ratings charts. Which also made him a prime target for hatred. While Yibo could somewhat hide amongst the rest of the idols in their rankings, Xiao Zhan’s star shined higher and brighter than the rest.

It was well deserved, given his talent and hard work, but there was no rationalizing the malice that lived in the hearts of some people.

“Well, you can hate it, but it doesn’t change anything,” Yibo pointed out.

“Do you think… Is it possible this was… all on purpose?” Xiao Zhan asked timidly.

Yibo’s eyebrows bunched together in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Do you think maybe… _someone,”_ he said, his eyes shooting Yibo a significant look that meant he was watching what he said, as if a third party might be listening in, “decided I’d been on top for too long, and it was time to level the playing field?”

Yibo paused, looking away from the screen in thought. Though he didn’t want to admit it to Xiao Zhan, it was entirely possible. They were both aware of how closely tied the entertainment industry was to the government, and ultimately, who was in charge of it — just like everything else in China. 

Ironically, one of the reasons Xiao Zhan was so adored by such a wide range of age groups was because he made a point to play up his “good socialist boy” image, going out of his way to take on projects and works that promoted the country and helped inspire national pride. Yibo knew he did it, in part, because good public relations were so important, especially for someone who hadn’t spent the time in the industry necessary to build the type of connections that would protect him. But he also knew how much Xiao Zhan loved those projects, in particular those that allowed him to promote his beloved hometown of Chongqing.

He’d spent much more time in Chinese schools than Yibo had, and his pride and responsibility to his country was much more deeply entrenched. Xiao Zhan was probably the best idol spokesman China had had in quite a while, so Yibo really _hoped_ his current issues weren’t tied to any government interference. That would be a dumb move, in his opinion. Yibo himself did his duty when it was required of him, but he certainly wasn’t nearly as keen to be seen running around waving the flag over his head.

“Anything is possible,” Yibo hedged, not wanting to be dishonest. “But Zhan-ge, it could just as easily be some behind-the-scenes power struggle between Tencent and another corporation. Or it could seriously just be the fact that people are fucking stupid.”

Xiao Zhan didn’t appear to be convinced. “What if they think I’ve got some kind of… agenda?”

Yibo couldn’t help but laugh. Anyone who’d consider Xiao Zhan a radical political terrorist needed way more than a mental health check. “You’re kidding, right?”

“It’s not like there aren’t things I would change if I was able to,” Xiao Zhan admitted quietly, looking away from the screen.

“Oh yeah? Like what?” Yibo asked with disbelief.

Xiao Zhan’s gaze remained fixed somewhere away from the screen. “I want to get married someday.”

A molten rock dropped into Yibo’s stomach, spinning and turning dangerously. Taking his queue from Xiao Zhan’s cautious behavior earlier, Yibo swallowed the bitterness creeping up his throat and responded, “Nobody is stopping you.”

It was a loaded topic, and one they had only skirted around talking about. Yibo had accepted that being legally married in China would never be an option for him. There were other avenues, obviously, but none that fell into the traditional, socially acceptable route. But they were both aware that Xiao Zhan had other options, millions of them that would line up and happily volunteer, if he wanted to take the easy path.

Beautiful dark eyes snapped back to the screen with a new kind of torment swimming in their depths. Xiao Zhan’s voice was raw. “They are if I want to marry _you.”_

Yibo caught his breath on a gasp, trying to swallow his surprise. He knew his own heart, and he’d _hoped…_ but it was the first time Xiao Zhan had ever said anything about their future so plainly before.

_But fuck, what is he saying?_ _Getting_ _married — here?_ Yibo thought. _Does he think we will ever have enough leverage to be able to force that kind of social change?_

For the first time in the nearly two years he’d known him, Yibo wondered if Xiao Zhan had lost his mind. He gave the older man a critical look. “ZhanZhan… I know you want to change the world… But you know there’s a limit to what two people can do.”

It was the kindest way Yibo could think of to say “ _Give up that dream”_ to a man already struggling.

Xiao Zhan sighed and ran a hand through his already disheveled hair. The dark circles beneath his eyes seemed stark against his pale, drawn face.

“Maybe this is all I get,” he said sadly. “A few years of lucky breaks and hard climbing only to reach too far and too fast, and I’ve flamed out already.”

Yibo’s stomach twisted, wanting so much to wrap the man in his arms and protect him from a world that wanted to harm him. Instead, he tried to sound as convincing as possible. “It’s not that bad.”

“Management told me to expect to lose a few more endorsement deals before this is all over,” Xiao Zhan said flatly, like all the life was being sucked out of him.

“It doesn’t matter. They’ll be begging to get you back in no time, and then you can just demand more money! And you’ve still got me,” Yibo stated, as if daring the older man to argue with him. “Always.”

Xiao Zhan’s eyes were soft and grateful. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Bo-di.”

He was emotional, on the verge of tears again, and Yibo couldn’t take it. If he had to watch Xiao Zhan break down when he couldn’t be there to help, he was going to lose his mind. Shaking off the seriousness, he threw him a sharp grin and snarked, “Besides, if it does all go to hell, I don’t mind being your sugar daddy.”

Xiao Zhan gave a pained bark of a laugh. “Yeah, well you basically are already, right?”

“What do you mean?”

His boyfriend eyed him critically. “Are we just going to pretend I don’t know about the money being funneled into the studio?”

Damn. He should have known a man who put the god of money on his phone screen would pay close attention to that end of his business.

“Um…” Yibo gave him an embarrassed smile and ran a hand into the back of his hair, twirling the brown strands nervously with his fingers.

“Yibo…” Xiao Zhan whispered. He took a second to just stare at him through the screen, the way he often did before he left for a work trip when they’d be apart for a while. Like he was memorizing Yibo’s face. “Thank you.”

Shocked into silence for a moment, the rush of relief Yibo felt was nearly palpable. He’d been expecting a fight, or at least a heated disagreement, once Xiao Zhan found out Yibo had been investing his “rent” money back into the older man’s business. If there was something good to come out of Xiao Zhan’s current troubles, at least he was too worried and distracted to battle over financial appropriations.

“Between us, there’s no need for thanks,” Yibo quipped with a soft smile. He was trying to distract Xiao Zhan, reminding him of a happier time when they were filming _Chen Qing_ _Ling_ and not burdened by the trials of business and fame.

Instead, the quote only seemed to make the older man more emotional, as his face crumpled before he covered it with his hand. A muffled sob came from behind it.

“ _Bèi_ _bèi_ _,_ _bèi_ _bèi_ _,_ don’t cry,” Yibo pleaded in a rush. When all else failed, distraction and rambling seemed like a good strategy for attacking tears, and he was running out of options and willing to try anything at this point. “Please. You’re going to make _me_ cry. And I’ve got to go to set soon. If my face is puffy, the makeup person will kill me, and I’ll look horrible on camera. You don’t want that, right? Help me out here, Zhan-ge.”

Xiao Zhan seemed to settle somewhat, peeking at him through his fingers, so Yibo forced a smile and kept going. “I’ve got to be handsome so I can take care of my old man. He’s kind of a drama queen sometimes, so he’s high maintenance. I’ve got to be able to keep working to support him in his old age.”

Yibo chuckled, keeping things light, but they both knew he wasn’t entirely kidding. No matter what happened, he would support Xiao Zhan in whatever way he needed, financially and otherwise. He loved that man, and he would stand by his side until a day came when Xiao Zhan didn’t want him there.

Xiao Zhan wiped at his face and gave him a tired smile. It was weak and forced, but the shadows were gone from his eyes and his voice was no longer shaky when he responded, “I don’t deserve you.”

“You deserve everything,” Yibo replied softly, knowing he probably looked just as lovesick as he felt. He was so weak for the man — he’d give Zhan-ge the world if he asked for it.

Xiao Zhan’s face flushed slightly, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “And you say you’re not romantic.”

Yibo smirked and rolled his eyes, but he was glad to see Xiao Zhan’s mood perk up a bit. Overwhelmed by the emotion in the older man’s gaze, he glanced away from the phone screen and caught sight of the time on the digital clock across the room. “Shit, I’ve got to go! I’ll be late to set.”

He hurried to throw together his bag of supplies for the day, scrambling to find a charged power bank and a cord.

“Ok, Bo-di.” Yibo heard his boyfriend say as he rushed around the room and threw a hat on his head.

He slowed down just long enough to lock eyes with Xiao Zhan on the screen. “You can call me if you need to, ok? If I can’t answer, I’ll call you back when I’ve got a break.”

Xiao Zhan smiled. “It’s ok. I’ll be fine — I won’t bother you while you’re working.”

“Really, call me if —”

“Wang Yibo, focus on yourself for a while,” Xiao Zhan told him seriously, before a tiny snide grin crept over his face. “The show needs to be a success if you’re going to support this old man. Be good, _gǒu_ _zǎi_ _zǎi_ _.”_

Yibo smiled in relief, then startled as a knock sounded on his door. If his guard was there to accompany him to work, it was definitely time to go. “I’ll talk to you later! Love you, Ge! Bye!”

Disconnecting the call as he swung open the door, he didn’t even give Xiao Zhan a chance to respond, since he knew how much the man hated goodbyes. And on days like this, being able to do even little things to make life easier for him was all that mattered.

They were a team, and they would get through this. He would keep reminding Xiao Zhan of that fact every day, for as long as it took to weather the storm. Unlike his boyfriend, Yibo wasn’t really worried about the long-term impact. Xiao Zhan was strong, determined, and smart as hell. He’d had his knees kicked and was feeling unstable right now, but he would bounce back. It was just a waiting game, and in the meantime, Yibo would help carry them both. He was already working with his team on social media releases for endorsement announcements and ways he could draw the eyes of the media and netizens onto him and away from Xiao Zhan. Anything he could do to provide cover and distract focus from the negative press and fan drama swirling around his boyfriend was beneficial at the moment, and he would gladly do it. 

People just needed something to talk about, and he would give them everything he possibly could. The more they talked about Yibo, the less time they had to talk about Xiao Zhan’s problems.

Yibo couldn’t be there to hold him through the rain, but he could protect Xiao Zhan and hopefully provide some shelter for him to hide behind for a while. And he would make damn sure that this scandal did not dim the light of the man he loved, who was so amazing and talented and _good,_ and deserved to be adored and appreciated by the world for many years still to come.

**Author's Note:**

> *Translations  
> nǎinai - grandma  
> gǒu zǎi zǎi - puppy/naughty puppy
> 
> Comments and kudos always appreciated! 
> 
> Also feel free to come find me squealing about the boys on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/bjyxobsessed)


End file.
